Relative–Stories in Your Past Writing Tip
If you’re looking for a subject to write about, look no further than your own family. There are plenty of ideas to stir up the creative juices. I found many looking into my family’s past.
I began genealogical research on my family because I felt unconnected to the past. Our grandmother lived with us most of our lives, but there was so much I didn’t know about her. She spoke English, but was more comfortable with her native Hungarian. My father and uncle conversed with her in it rather than English.
Grandma was a strong woman, very Catholic and very stubborn. She was also a proud woman. As I delved into my research, a more complex picture emerged. She came to America the second time in 1914. I have no details about the first time as of yet. It was months after the Titantic disaster. It was also just after the start of World War I. I can’t imagine the emotions of someone traveling alone under those circumstances. Here is the fodder for a true story of courage and adventure.
Researching European relatives adds a difficulty that other genealogy study does not–the language barrier. I found records dating back to the 1850s. I traced my family back, but the writing became more difficult to decipher. Pages were missing. It became frustrating as leads dried up simply because the records were ineligible.
I was able to put together a family tree, with a few surprises. I learned of another brother on my mother’s side who died mysteriously at the age of 19. I learned about a curious yet mysterious connection to Pennsylvania. I also learned that my strong grandma was born illegitimate.
That’s not an unusual thing for the time. There was a marriage tax, I’m told, that had to be paid prior to getting married. Some couldn’t afford it, yet took up housekeeping until they saved enough to get married. My maternal grandparents had a child, listed as illegitimate until it was corrected later as legitimate after they got married.
Every family has stories. Of course, I’m not encouraging war among your siblings with present-day stories. Rather, real life has some pretty amazing tales to tell. The best stories aren’t necessarily those of other families, but sometimes, right within your own.
Beginnings–The Start of a New Life
Today marks an important day for me and my husband. Fourteen years ago today, we eloped and married at the county courthouse. It is the single best decision I have ever made in my entire life. It meant hope and a new beginning.
It’s the kind of lessons like this that can help you harness your emotions and use them to fuel your writing. Your own experiences can produce the inner dialogue, the conversations and the feelings associated with different life events. You have the power. You have the information you need to create dynamic characters.
Everyone has felt sadness, pain and joy. It’s just the scenarios that are diverse. Your character can experience happiness from winning the lottery to getting married to solving a problem. You know what happiness feels like. You can write effectively about being happy without ever having the winning ticket. You simply have to write about being happy.
This is not to say that you should write about anything. Verisimilitude in writing can’t always be faked effectively. Rather, you can use your own experiences to round out scenes in your writing. You can write of the physical aspects of emotions with the benefit of having lived through them. In this way, you can write what you know and succeed.
Beginnings–A Story Starts with a Picture
There are so many quote regarding a picture–a picture can say a thousand words, a picture says a thousand words, Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures, etc. A picture, therefore, is a great beginning.
One site that I’ve found through my search for stock images is Photo Xpress. There are a lot of good paid sites out there. Photo Xpress succeeds in two ways:
- Free accounts give you some free premium downloads
- The price is right–and they will beat it, if not
I recently purchased a pic for my e-book. I was ecstatic to find an locale-appropriate image. That was the biggest challenge I faced. When you write a book or e-book, you want high-resolution images and ones that appropriate for your subject matter. I had found a great public domain image that was truly beautiful. Unfortunately, the resolution was less than what was required for a decent print image.
To find that perfect image, you need to trust your gut. What is the image that you picture in your head when you think of what you wrote? Once you have a fix on it, don’t let it go. Search to find your image. It is imperative because your mind’s image is the personification of your writing. And don’t worry about paying for it.
You learn quickly that good images are worth paying for. Above all, keep a separate folder for originals so you can you go back and make new variations from a clean copy. It all begins with finding the right image for the job.
Beginnings–Learning from the Pros
As a beginning writer, one of the most important lessons you is to learn from the professionals in your field. They are the ones who have been in the trenches. They offer the kind of tips you won’t find in a magazine. They give you the insider’s guide.
For my writing, I embellish it with tidbits from my own experiences. I enjoy adding the elements of one who has experienced a particular situation. This is the crux of writing what you know. In my soon-to-be-published mystery, I added just a hint of the paranormal. Curious incidences, as we called them, at our own home inspired me. The challenge became clear–how to make it believable. That’s when I turned to the masters for guidance.
The heyday of ghost stories was the Victorian age. The authors weaved tales of the supernatural in everyday life. No longer was the ghostly apparition confined to the castle or graveyard. It was in your home, your bedroom. To read some of the stories by greats such as J. S. LeFanu
I personally believe writing stories of this sort is one of the most challenging tasks for a writer. Making such a tale believable is essential. It is a monumental task in today’s world of technology. If you read these stories carefully, you are left feeling a bit of doubt. Could it be true? Could it happen? For a writer to make me question my own beliefs is a creative achievement. That is precisely why I went to the pros to learn how to make it possible.
For whatever writing you do, begin with a lesson from your mentors. Learn from their style and word choice. Learn what has been said before so you can incorporate it with a touch of your own imagination.
Beginnings–Editorial Calendar for the New Week
If you need a nudge to get your writing done, an excellent way to motivate you is to start your week with a bit of planning. Part of the problem of writing can simply be getting started. One way to alleviate that problem is brainstorming with an editorial calendar.
Basically, the idea is this. At the beginning of the week, think about some ideas you’d like to explore. A news story may have caught your eye. Perhaps, you learned a valuable lesson. The next task is to add it to your calendar for your week’s posts or other assignments. You can use an online calendar, such as Zoho Calendar.
You can create a calendar for your blog. Then, add all-day events with your topics. Doing it this way will keep the event at the top of your day so you can easily see it when you open your calendar. You can create additional calendars for other blogs you have or other sites that you write for. Make sure and choose a different color for each calendar for easy viewing.
Alternatively, you can use the Editorial Calendar plug-in for WordPress for standalone blogs. The good thing about this set-up is that it is right there with your posts. You can plan posts in the calendar and create the draft posts in your Posts section. Another helpful feature is the ability to move things around in the calendar view, in case another pressing topic comes up.
When using either method, be sure and add a few brief notes to remind yourself why you put it there in the first place. If it was a piece you came across on the Internet, add the URL so you can re-visit your facts. With a little planning, you’ll never be at a loss for words.
Beginnings–Harnessing Motivation
Harnessing motivation sometimes is one of the most difficult challenges you face. It’s hard to see the results that should be driving you forward. It’s not different with writing. The deadline, the blank page or the empty document can all create barriers–only if you let them.
I’ve wanted to devote more time to my blogs. Saying you want something and actually doing it are two different things. That’s where NaBloPoMo came in. For me, the drive to keep current with the posts came from joining NaBloPoMo. I wanted to do this. I wanted the sense of accomplishment.
The thing with writing is that you must stay in practice. It takes time to develop your voice, to start auto-correcting your own mistakes. A goal like NaBloPoMo can be the beginning of a good habit to keep you motivated. If motivation is a problem, perhaps finding a drive like this can help you get in the writing habit.
After all, the more you write, the more comfortable you become while you write. Don’t fret about the grammar and spelling. You can let spell check do the job or get a tool like After the Deadline to take care of that part. Let your words flow and feel your motivation take hold.
Beginnings–Character Development for a New Novel
The first thing I thought when looking through the copious notes from my last book, “Murder to Order,” was how did I do all this stuff? I had pages and pages about plot and characters. Now that I’m ready to start anew with another mystery, I wanted to review the process I used.
Writing Software
One thing that I’ve found very useful is using writing software to flesh out a character. I use WriteWayPro to write my fiction works. The basic set-up includes the kind of things you need to consider when developing characters, such as age and physical characteristics. It also adds other important things like greatest fear, secret talent and core needs.
The best part is the ability to add an image. I need the visual to help me brainstorm. I act out scenes in my head countless times. I like knowing what the person speaking looks like and he may look with other characters.
Observation
As I work on a novel, I turn on my observation skills and start watching and listening to people. Having grown up in a household with only sisters, I don’t have that firsthand experience of how guys talk among themselves. When we’re out and about, I especially try to listen how men talk to each other so my dialogue can be more realistic.
Names
Dickens spent a lot of time considering names. In some cases, the names have surpassed the book. A name shapes character. So, as part of my character development, I listen for names. For this next book, I have four or five names already. I’m not sure where everyone is going to fit in, but it’s a beginning.
Get the 101 Book Now!
While You’re Surfing
Get free online storage with Dropbox
Get 20% Off QuickBooks Pro Small Business Accounting Software + Free Shipping + Free Learning CD
Toodledo.com is a powerful, online to-do list. Keeping track of all your tasks will help you avoid disorganization, stay motivated and be more productive. Check it out.
Articles
Writing Samples
For Writers and Readers
Extras
BookSwim
